Traditional casino-style slot machines, such as slot and video poker machines, were configured as independently-operable machines. For example, each slot machine was configured with a set of reels and a controller which determined an outcome or stopping position for the reels. Each video poker machine was configured with a controller which caused game information, such as images of cards, to be determined and displayed on a display of the machine. The controllers of these gaming machines were configured to be “stand-alone”, meaning that they were capable of generating game outcomes by themselves (i.e. without input or control by an external device or system). For example, the gaming controller of a video poker machine might include a random number generator for randomly determining game outcomes and software for generating images of cards based upon each randomly determined outcome. FIG. 1A illustrates such a configuration wherein a first stand-alone gaming machine is configured to present a slot game and a separate stand-alone gaming machine is configured to present a video poker game.
One advantage of the configuration of these traditional gaming machines is that they can easily be set up to operate anywhere. In particular, because they machines are free-standing, they do not need to be connected to other machines or systems. However, these machines have various disadvantages. For example, because the gaming machines are custom-created to present one or more games in a stand-alone fashion, the gaming machines can only present those one or more pre-defined games. Thus, if new and more exciting games are developed, the existing gaming machines cannot be configured to present those new games without entirely re-configuring or re-programming the machines. Also, because each gaming machine must include all of the components necessary to present games in a free-standing manner, each gaming machine is very complex and expensive.
In recent years, server-based gaming systems have been developed. FIG. 1B illustrates one example of such a system. As illustrated, these systems include one or more main game servers and a plurality of gaming machines which are linked to the game server. Each gaming machine may be configured as a kiosk or terminal which communicates with the game server. This configuration has a number of advantages. First, each gaming machine may present various different games as determined by the game server (e.g. Games A, B, C . . . as illustrated in FIG. 1B). For example, the game server may include a menu of games, which menu may change over time, wherein the gaming machines may present any of the games on the menu. In one embodiment, game code corresponding to the games which are supported by the game server may be downloaded to the gaming machines from the game server, which code may be varied from time to time to permit the gaming machines to present different games. In another configuration, the gaming machines or terminals may not even require all of the game code. For example, in one configuration, the game server may execute the game code and generate corresponding game outcomes and then transmit the outcomes to the gaming machines. The gaming machines may then simply present the game outcomes to the players of those machines.
The new server-based casino gaming system thus has the advantage that new games can be implemented more quickly. As indicated above, traditional gaming machines could only present new games by taking the machines out of service and then completely reconfiguring and/or reprogramming them to present a new game or games. In the server-based model, software for a new game may be associated with the game server so that it can be executed by the game server or so that it the game code is accessible to (such as for download to) each server-based gaming machine.
In addition, because traditional gaming machines were custom-configured by their manufacturer, it was difficult for third parties to get new casino games implemented, thus limiting the number of new casino-style games which made it into the market. In particular, to even get a new game into the market, a developer of a new game generally had to have a gaming machine manufacturer develop the game for implementation on its own machines. However, even if the gaming machine manufacturer was willing to introduce the new game, given that all development was performed by the gaming machine manufacturer, the development time of the game could be many years.
An oft-stated advantage of the server-based gaming system that was frequently touted was that third parties would be able to easily create new games for implementation by the system. However, this has not generally been true. In particular, currently, each gaming machine manufacturer has developed their own unique and proprietary server-based platform/architecture which integrates the game and machine/system functions. This proprietary platform ensures, for example, that game code which is run at the gaming machine allows the gaming machine to both present game information and integrate with the various associated peripheral devices, systems and functions of the gaming machine.
This requires, however, that all game software be specifically coded for a specific manufacturer's platform. For example, an outside game content developer is required to code their game software to certain specifications so that it will run on one gaming manufacturer's platform (such as for presentation of the game at gaming machines at one casino) and then must code the same game software an entirely different way so that can be implemented on a different gaming manufacturer's platform (such as for presentation of the game at gaming machines at a different casino). This is time consuming and costly. In addition, this generally requires that the game developer turn their game code over to the system operator so that it can be integrated onto the game server, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. At that point, the game developer loses control of their game software. This makes it difficult for the game developer to know how and when their software is being used or to make changes to the software, such as to implement new and exciting game features.